705.7 mln USB-enabled devices sold in 2004

USB-enabled devices will continue their march to ubiquity in electronics products, as total USB-enabled devices will rise from 705.7 mln in 2004 to 2.1 bln in 2009, according to In-Stat. Growth will continue in all categories – PCs, PC peripherals, consumer electronics, and communications devices – through 2009, with the fastest growth coming in the communications category. Wireless USB 1.0 should make its debut in the PC market late in 2005 in the form of dongles that hook into USB ports. In consumer electronics (CE), transition to high-speed hasn’t been as rapid as in the peripheral space due to less dependence on PCs in this segment. However, products like set top boxes, digital still cameras, and digital camcorders are adopting USB. The first wireless USB-enabled devices should be available by the end of 2005.